by J. P. Comeau
Right now, it still didn’t make me feel any better about faking a marriage even if the dollar amount was significant, though. It was still wrong, and I had involved Gavin and, to a point, the Truman family in a deceitful plot.
Annie came over while rubbing her belly, which by then was quite large. “We sure are going to miss you at the yoga studio, but you deserve this vacation.”
“Thank you, Annie. And thanks for giving me the time off.”
She waved her hand as though it were nothing. “I know how long you’ve waited to get your settlement. Plus, I hired a few more yoga instructors to help out while I’m on maternity leave. So this is a good time to do some on the job training.”
Richard brought a bottle of water over to her, and again, I was reminded that being married definitely had its perks. After what my mom went through with my dad and all of the jerks I had dated over the years, I assumed it’d be best if I stayed single. Yet, as I watched all of these married couples take care of each other, often without the other partner asking, I realized that maybe I was wrong.
Maybe marriage could be a good thing.
I also knew that everyone at the party wanted to see Gavin and I end up together. I was watching him talk with everyone about our trip. I could see how excited he was to be going away with me. It wasn’t just to help me get my money. He wanted to spend time together, only the two of us, on vacation.
Richard clinked his glass. “If I could get everyone’s attention, I’d like to raise a toast to Gavin and Crystal. I know the purpose of this trip isn’t to get married, but all of us are eager to hear how it all unfolds. So keep us in the loop. Also, if you need anything more, anything at all, don’t hesitate to call.”
Annie raised her bottle of water. “I was just saying that to Richard last night. Ever since you moved back to River Valley, Crystal, I have watched you blossom into a beautiful young woman. You’ve progressed in your position at the yoga studio, and after this trip, everything will be on track for your life to move forward. The fact that Gavin is with you, in our opinion, makes it even more special.”
Julianna cleared her throat and then raised her glass of seltzer. “And I just want to say that it was OUR idea they get together in the first place!”
“That’s true,” I said, nodding. “If it hadn’t been for me not wanting to be alone at a baby shower and gender reveal, because apparently, people bring dates to them now, who knows if we would have ever met.”
Gavin cleared his throat. “That might not be true, Crystal. Maybe we would have gotten together if you called me after our little fender-bender.”
I playfully nudged him. “Did you think that move would have worked on me? Offering to buy some strange woman a car because of a tiny scratch?”
He shrugged his shoulders, raised his glass, and yelled, ‘Cheers!’
As we sat there chatting with everyone and drinking more champagne, I realized that I wanted to do whatever I could to make Gavin happy on our trip. If he had gone to such great lengths just to help me get this inheritance, I could do whatever was necessary to make sure that his needs were being met. It’s the least I could do for such a great guy.
Up until I met Gavin, I honestly didn’t think there were any good men left in the world.
I got up and went outside for some fresh air, and Annie joined me a few minutes later.
“I’ve been a bit worried about you since this fake marriage thing went down. Actually, I hadn’t seen you that anxious since your mom told you she only had a few months to live.”
I knew Annie meant well, but thinking back to that moment always made me want to cry.
“I’m doing better, thanks for asking. It’s just a lot to take in, you know?”
“Absolutely. What about Gavin? How’s he holding up with everything? I’m not surprised he agreed to do this for you, but this is even so…well, you know, he has to be under a bit of stress himself.”
We started walking under the tall trees in the back yard.
“Gavin’s doing much better than I am. I was so worried when I asked him to do it a few weeks ago, but he didn’t hesitate to say yes. He seemed more into it than I was at first.”
“What about now, Crystal? Are you more excited about it?”
I thought about spending time with Gavin in Moldova, and I realized that I wanted to play house with him. I wanted to see what it’d be like to be a wife, even though we wouldn’t be married.
“I think so. I mean, the way I look at it, it’s a vacation that I’ll return from a hell of a lot more financially secure — I hope.”
“Which is ironic, seeing as how it’s usually the other way around. People go on vacation and then return having gone into debt, but you get to visit a foreign country and come back a millionaire. I’m not sure there is a downside to this?”
We sat down on two benches, and I realized that I was happier about going on vacation with Gavin than I had led myself to believe. I was so worried about getting caught in a fake marriage that I forgot we’d be away, just the two of us, and how romantic it could be. Plus, there was no reason to worry. The documents he drafted up fooled me, so the Moldovan judge would hopefully believe them too.
“That’s true. Once this is all over, Annie, life is going to be so much better for me. I’m going to be more financially secure and also free to expand my horizons.”
“Even though you’ll be a millionaire, Crystal? I thought by now you’d rather retire and just travel, you know, enjoy life.”
“Teaching people about holistic medicine and yoga makes me happy, Annie. I don’t want to be one of those people who gets all of this money and then becomes a shut-in. Plus, it’s not like I need a lot. You know me. I’m kind of a minimalist. As long as I have a backyard, a garden, and a decent-sized kitchen, I’ll be happy.”
“Let’s not forget about that Lamborghini. You’re keeping that, right?”
“Really, it’s only mine because my name is on the title, you know. Gavin drives it more than I do.”
“Which name? You’re real one or your… married one?”
We both giggled and hugged each other’s necks.
16
_____
GAVIN
Crystal was fast asleep by the time we landed in Chisinau, Moldova, the capital district. Thankfully, Mr. Truman had chartered us a plane, which saved us the hassle of booking a commercial flight. Seeing as how she was still a little nervous about trip, it was much appreciated. The flight ended up being quite peaceful, as opposed to a commercial one that could have been full of noisy passengers and definitely cramped.
I gently nudged her as we landed. “Hey, we’re here.”
Crystal opened her eyes and looked out the window. “Are we in Moldova already? I feel like I just fell asleep.”
She was utterly adorable whenever she woke up. “It was a long flight. You must have needed that sleep, though.”
We got off of the plane and were immediately greeted by a driver from the law office, who drove us to the President Hotel. He informed us that we would be meeting with other people appointed by the judge the following day. Crystal appreciated that we had a day to rest before putting on a charade for the judge, but there was a part of her that also just wanted it to be over.
After we unpacked in our luxury apartment, we sat down on the bed while drinking some coffee.
“I’m wide awake now,” she said, “and it’s early in the day. What’s on the itinerary?”
I pulled out my phone and looked at a few places that I thought we’d enjoy visiting. Seeing as how we were both into nature and gardening, I came up with a few ideas.
“Since you and I are both nature freaks, I thought we’d hit up some of their popular parks.”
Crystal tilted her head at me and laughed. “Are we just going to walk around all day? I do get hungry, you know.”
“Yep, so do I, as you know, and some of the parks here have cafes and food vendors. There are even some amusement park rides. From what I’v
e gathered, the city is known for its lovely flowers. How about that, my dear?”
Her eyes perked up. “Did you say flowers? You should know better than to tease a hippie with flowers!”
That’s what I loved about Crystal. Even though I was a businessman, she always brought out the side of me that was more connected to nature. I felt like I could be myself around her all the time. I didn’t have to pretend to just be some guy who loved money and sports cars.
“Perfect. How about we hit up Parcul Rascani first?”
“That sounds like a beautiful park. I’m in.”
I had arranged for a driver to take us wherever we wanted to go on our trip, and he agreed that it was a lovely place to visit. “It’s such a beautiful and peaceful space. The kind of place you go to realize what’s truly important in your life. Some people need to just put their phones down…go outside every once in a while. You know, just experience Mother Nature.”
Crystal and I spent most of the morning walking throughout Parcul Rascani, which was full of locals enjoying the gorgeous day. I chose that as our first place to visit because of the intricate trails and dense forest. Both of us had talked about going on hikes back home in River Valley, but with our work schedules, it had never happened. Watching Crystal bend down to smell all of the flowers brought me so much joy, and I even picked a purple one to put in her hair.
After we walked the long trail accompanied by a large variety of birds and scampering squirrels, we sat down by a lake, and I wrapped my arms around her. Even though we were surrounded by people, the calmness of the water made it seem as though it were just the two of us. I ran my hands through her long, red hair as she casually skipped rocks across the lake.
“I could sit out here by the water all day long,” she said.
“Is that what you did in Hawaii?”
“As often as I could. It was hard going to school full-time and working in between, but I managed to sit by the ocean in the morning while drinking coffee before doing my morning yoga routine. I feel connected to the water.”
I kissed the top of her head and chuckled, “Maybe we could live on a houseboat or a sailboat someday.”
We got up after a while and made our way to a playground, where we took advantage of some empty swings. I felt a bit foolish for getting on one as an adult, but being around Crystal brought out my inner child.
Crystal looked so carefree as she pumped her legs back and forth. “I can’t remember the last time I was on a swing!”
“We should do it more often,” I said while pumping away on mine.
As it grew closer to noon, I decided it was time to head over to another park that I figured she’d enjoy.
The driver looked at me in the rearview mirror. “Where to, Mr. Tillery?”
“Dendrarium Park, please.”
“Yes, sir.”
Crystal seemed giddy about going to another outside space. “Tell me about this one.”
“This park isn’t quite as rough and rugged as Parcul Rascani. It has paved trails and bike paths, not to mention some cafes and picnic areas. I thought we could get a quick bite to eat while walking around.”
The driver met my eyes again in the rearview mirror. “Dendrarium Park has excellent food. That’s where my wife takes our granddaughter. They also have delicious coffee, and there are plenty of places to just sit and enjoy the fresh air.”
We pulled up to the park a short while later, and Crystal’s eyes lit up as soon as we got out. There were rows upon rows of gorgeous flower boxes, and both of us took our time studying all of the plants. We even spoke with a few locals about them, and I thought about adding one or two of those varieties to my garden in River Valley.
Later, we found a small cafe in the park that made those Moldovan pies that Richard had recommended. We shared one made of cheese, and both of us agreed that it was terrific. Crystal even said that she’d like to get the recipe so that she could fix it when we returned home.
“Maybe we could have the Truman’s over for Moldovan cuisine,” I suggested.
“That’s a great idea.”
“I know that Richard loves their pies, but has Annie ever had Moldovan food?”
Crystal shrugged her shoulders. “Annie will try just about anything. Have you seen her with her pregnancy cravings? I’ve never seen her eat so much, and she’s still so slender… for someone who is pregnant!”
I nodded. “And I’ve never seen Richard happier.”
There were times when I wanted to take our relationship to the next level, but I sensed hesitation on Annie’s part, and I hoped it was only due to her mother’s passing and the stress that came with her inheritance. The last thing I wanted to do was scare away the best thing that had ever happened to me, or add to her stress.
A short while later, we headed over to Valea Trandafirilor.
At first, we decided to hit up the smaller amusement park inside the larger area. Most of the rides seemed to be for young kids, but there were a few that we enjoyed.
Crystal giggled when the Farris wheel stopped with us at the tip-top. The view of the city was breathtaking, but I hardly noticed as I pulled Crystal in for a deep kiss. A part of me reminded my brain that I couldn’t wait to make passionate love to my fake wife at the first opportunity,
When the Farris wheel started moving again, Crystal raised her hands up in the air. “Whoa, it’s tickling my stomach.”
It reminded me of the first night that I drove her home after the Truman baby shower. She had looked so carefree sitting next to me, and I had a feeling she’d be a part of my life for the long-term, even then.
After the ride, we hit up a concession stand for some cotton candy and lemonade, played a few games, and then headed to a beach that was located right by the lake. We sat on the sand in silence, and I had never felt closer to her than at that moment as we held hands and enjoyed the breeze wafting in our faces.
As dinnertime drew near, I told her that I had one more surprise in store for us.
“Since you and I love Italian food so much, there’s an excellent restaurant called Mezz 12 that I read about before we left home. I made dinner reservations for us. Come on, let’s go.”
The driver took us to the restaurant, and again, he raved about our choice. “Granted, I have never been to Italy or even America, but Mezz 12 has some of the best Italian food that my wife and I have ever had. Their tomato sauce is out of this world, Mr. Tillery, and you absolutely must try their tiramisu.”
Crystal and I laughed, and I decided to tell the driver why. “That just happens to be our favorite dessert.”
Crystal was surprised to hear that it was mine, too. “Hey, I thought that was just MY favorite dessert.”
“It only became my favorite because of you, sweetheart.”
The server sat us down at a table for two by one of the windows that overlooked the city. It reminded me of a picture out of a travel magazine. Romance was definitely all around us, and inside us, as we sipped on a bottle of champagne and waited for our dinner.
I decided it was time to mention what was planned for the next day.
“Are you feeling better about tomorrow, Crystal?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure. I guess I won’t know until tomorrow morning. My biggest concern is that I’ll get there and I won’t be able to speak. I’m not sure if I ever told you, but sometimes I have debilitating panic attacks.”
“When did they start?”
“As soon as my mother died. Up until then, I had always been a hippie yoga instructor who lived life day by day. I never got upset over anything. In fact, if you had hit my car back when I was in Hawaii, I would have reacted much differently. To me, a car is just a car. It can be replaced, but people can’t. When Mom passed, it kinda changed my heart and definitely my attitude. I became angry for some reason and tried controlling every aspect of my life.”
I reached my hand across the table and rubbed hers. “You can’t control every part of your life, Crystal
. Granted, I never knew your mother, but based on what I’ve heard, I’m sure this isn’t how she’d want you to live. She’d tell you to relax and enjoy life more, and not get hung up about all of the little details.”
“I know you’re right, Gavin. I do. It’s just hard sometimes, and now when I’m stressed out, I just freeze. My body goes numb, and I can’t even move my arms. That’s what I’m afraid will happen tomorrow.”
“I’ll make sure that doesn’t. Stop worrying yourself over this. It will all be over soon.”
I could see the apprehension in her eyes. “I don’t know if that’s possible, Gavin. I’m the one who has to appear before the judge. They probably won’t even talk to you, except to verify your identity. Plus, I’ve never been good at lying.”
I wished I could do all of the talking for her tomorrow. Crystal’s anxiety had been taking an emotional toll on her even before we met. Now that we had come into each other’s lives, I wanted to see Crystal be her carefree self.
“When you go up to the judge tomorrow, remember I’ll be sitting nearby. If you get nervous at any point, find you can’t speak, or just need reassurance of any kind, all you have to do is turn around and reach out to me.”
She rubbed my hand as a few tears ran down her cheeks, and something told me that everything would be just fine. But I had to ask the question that I had been avoiding for a long time. I didn’t want to appear to be nosey, or misunderstood for a person who would ask for a piece of her inheritance eventually for helping her.
“Crystal, sweetie, I hope you aren’t offended.”
“Are you kidding? I got off twice. You know just how to make me —“
“No, not that. I’m just curious. What exactly are you looking to inherit, a home, property here in Moldova, or something else?”
Crystal propped herself up on her elbow. “It’s… it’s ten million dollars.”
“Damn, double damn… I had no idea you are about to be a millionaire, Crystal. This will change your life forever.”
And maybe mine, too, if she doesn’t need me anymore.